WMU vying to host NCAA men's basketball tournament games

KALAMAZOO -- Western Michigan University would love to play in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. The next best thing might be to host a couple of rounds.

WMU and the Grand Rapids-based Western Michigan Sports Commission have put in a bid to host first- and second-round games or a regional in 2011, '12 or '13 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. The university will find out in September whether it's made the first cut.

WMU men's basketball spokesman Matt Holmes said he believed the idea originated with Michigan State, which hopes to play a couple future NCAA tourney games close to home. Knowing it couldn't play at any venue at which it was the host school, MSU needed a willing partner.

WMU and MSU most recently worked together on a football series, originally agreeing to play this year at Ford Field. Later, MSU gave WMU an $800,000 guarantee to move the Nov. 7 game to Spartan Stadium.

It's unclear if this partnership is tied to the football deal or whether WMU would gain anything other than the exposure that comes with hosting the NCAA tournament -- such as a men's basketball series with MSU or a neutral site game with the Spartans at Van Andel.

WMU director of athletics Kathy Beauregard could not be immediately reached for comment.